copyright 2014, Meadowblog.net

PSE&G is installing new electric transmission towers along the Saw Mill Creek Trail in DeKorte Park, and, as the South Bergenite reports, helicopters will be used to reduce the environmental impact.

The work is expected to begin in March.

The link is here.

Joe Koscielny past along these recent shots from the Shorebird Pool at DeKorte — Belted Kingfishers (above)  and Northern Pintails (below).  (Thanks, Joe!)

The Record and Herald News has a column today about a banded Peregrine Falcon that Chris Takacs spotted in North Arlington, and and how much information was  gleaned from a photo of just the two numerals and two letters (06 BC) on its band.

The same Peregrine — from NYC — had been seen photographed by Jill Homcy in  Carlstadt a few weeks earlier. This girl gets around and hangs around.

The Meadowlands seems to attract young Peregrines from all over the Middle Atlantic states every year, especially during the summer.

The link is here.

Video 3: “Fall In The Meadowlands, Sunrises, Sunsets and Great Skies Time Lapse HDR Photography (Part 2).”  (Please please with sound on.)

Mike Maddaloni writes:

This video and the one you posted yersterdayt  showcase the best nature had to offer us. I think you got quite a few stills from Ron, Roy, Chris, and others, so to compliment their awesome shots, here are the time lapse videos of those glorious skies at sunrise, sunset, and some in between when the skies were just awesome.

In all, in the fall, I had over 30 minutes of TIME LAPSE material (extrapolated that’s about 200 hours worth of time spent on location with multiple cameras going at once, of course), with a whopping 120 individual sequences, that’s an average of about 3 per day, so what you see is only the best of the best.

Background: Mike Maddaloni recently went into high gear, producing not one, or two, but three videos featuring Meadowlands sunrises and sunsets — all time-lapse compilations starting from the summer until a few weeks ago.

(Thanks, Mike!)

We’ll post a bonus video tomorrow.

Don Torino, president of the Bergen County Audubon Society, has a new column about the joys of the outdoors this holiday season.

Here’s the opening:

I have always believed birders and all people that have made nature a part of their lives have an undeniable special connection to the natural world.

Call it emotional or spiritual, divine or magical, either way I believe we all feel something very special when we spend time in the wild places we have come to love so much.    

and…

No matter what is going on in this hectic and sometimes overwhelming time of year, there is no mistaking that a walk in the woods or the just the sight of a favorite bird makes us feel just a little better about the day.

Keeping a Holiday connection to nature can make that time even more enjoyable and special.

Link is here.

Our last walk of the season was overcast but warm, with lots of cool birds around.

Highlights included 10 species of duck. They don’t call it DucKorte Park for nothing.

Thanks to all who participated. See ya next year!!

Full list follows. Continue reading →

Video 2: “Fall In The Meadowlands, Sunrises, Sunsets and Great Skies Timelapse HDR Photography (Part 1)”  (Please please with sound on.)

Mike Maddaloni writes:

This video and the one that will be posted here tomorrow showcase the best nature had to offer us. I think you got quite a few stills from Ron, Roy, Chris, and others, so to compliment their awesome shots, here are the time lapse videos of those glorious skies at sunrise, sunset, and some in between when the skies were just awesome.

In all, in the fall, I had over 30 minutes of TIME LAPSE material (extrapolated that’s about 200 hours worth of time spent on location with multiple cameras going at once, of course), with a whopping 120 individual sequences, that’s an average of about three per day, so what you see is only the best of the best.

Background: Mike Maddaloni recently went into high gear, producing not one, or two, but three videos featuring Meadowlands sunrises and sunsets — all time-lapse compilations starting from the summer until a few weeks ago.

(Thanks, Mike!)

We’ll post the third video tomorrow.

This guy was perched in a tree not far from Disposal Road at lunch time on Monday.  Sure hope it’s a Cooper’s Hawk, or the headline stinks.

Saw this bedraggled-looking raptor perched along Disposal Road, with the Sun behind it (natch).

At first we thought it was a Red-tail but now we aren’t so sure. What do you think?

Thanks!

Had a cool guided walk around DeKorte Park this  morning, with lots of birds, including a Light-morph Rough-leg.

This was our final walk of the year, and a big thank you to everyone who participated in our walks in 2014.

The young birder above improved his ID skills immensely once he stopped looking through his binoculars backwards.

Full list tomorrow.